Best Video Converter Software

Software Review Boffin has put Prism Video Converting Software at the top of the list when it comes to video converting. The reviewer put Prism to the test over several days noting that it worked flawlessly, and that the software is "so proficient that support will seldom be necessary."

"Prism Video Converter Software will within minutes perform, its as quick as a speeding bullet the review team at Software Review Boffin thought. Time is money and this product will not weigh you down!"
  � Software Review Boffin

Read the complete review of Prism Video Converter from Software Review Boffin, or simply download today for flawless video conversion whenever you need it.

Do More with Video - Blog Carnival March 4, 2013

Here are this edition's entries to Do More with Video:

Jason Brubaker presents How To Avoid Filmmaking Headaches posted at Filmmaking Stuff, saying, "A filmmaker has a gazillion things to do, but it is important to make sure the legal clearance paperwork doesn't get dropped. You need to have legal clearance for everyone and everything associated with your movie."

Lance Carr presents Shooting Better Home Videos posted at The DIY Video Editor, saying, "Part one of a six part series of articles on shooting better videos."

Matthew York presents Video Is Everywhere! posted at VideoMaker, saying, "there�s some seven billion people on the planet; more than 311 million in the U.S. YouTube tells us that in 2011 it had more than one trillion views � approximately 140 views for every person on Earth."

You might also be interested in:

• Video Editing Excellence
• Making Picture in picture videos with VideoPad
• VideoPad Video Editor for Mac
• video capture software for Mac OS X
• New Video Editing Features in VideoPad version 3.00
• Record Video Screencast Tutorials
• Photo Movie Maker Software
• How to Rotate Video
• Video Surveillance for the Home

That concludes the first edition of Do More with Video. If you have a video story to share from home movies to video production submit your video blog posts for the next edition.

VideoPad: Video Editing Excellence

We are very proud of the fact that even though VideoPad hasn't broken into the top three on TopTenReviews' list—yet—they have awarded our video editor for excellence. With each new release we strive to add more of the advanced features professionals crave, and just as importantly stay easy to use. That user-friendly quality that allows everyone to make movies is in a large part what TopTenReviews has noticed and is recognizing:

"Using VideoPad requires little effort. Before we even looked at the manual, we were able to create a video. To add transitions, effects and more, all you have to do is drag and drop them in place ... Overall, VideoPad has some excellent features. It can import files directly from many types of devices and it has 3D and green-screen capabilities. It is easy to use and has basic editing tools."
    �  TopTenReviews

If you haven't tried VideoPad video editing software yet, why not download a copy today. We think you will agree that VideoPad is both an excellent and easy video editor. Those of you who are already VideoPad users remember you can always send us suggestions on how we can make VideoPad even better. With your help those other video editors better watch out, because we plan to keep moving VideoPad forward and raising the bar on video editing excellence.

Make "Picture-in-Picture" Videos with VideoPad

The picture-in-picture (PIP) effect is commonly used in videos where more than one set of images is shown simultaneously in order to tell a story or convey additional information. Picture-in-picture is frequently used as part of news clips and in instructional videos.

The PIP effect can easily be achieved using VideoPad Video Editor software (version 3.0) by adding the video clip you want to overlay as your picture-in-picture onto the timeline so that it is positioned above the video you want to serve as the background in your video.

With this clip selected in the timeline, click on the "Effects" button then choose "Motion" from the drop-down menu at the top of the dialog box. Use the "Scale," "Position X" and "Position Y" controls to adjust the size and placement of your clip. You will be able to see the position and size change in the preview window on the right side of the Effects dialog box.

When everything is positioned the way you want it simply close the dialog box to apply your changes. Then, when you preview your movie, you will see your re-sized and re-positioned video clip overlaid on top of the larger clip.

Creating a picture-in-picture video in VideoPad is that easy. Use the same process to position images on the screen, making it an easy way for businesses to add their logo to videos.

Software from A to Z

A: Audio Software	B: Business Software	C: Converting Software	D: Dictation Software
E: Easy Software	F: FTP Software	G: Graphics Software	H: Hardware
I: International	J: Jamming Software	K: Keep (Protect & Save)	L: Live Broadcasting
M: Mobile Software	N: New Programs	O: Optimize	P: PDF Software
Q: Quick	R: Recording Software	S: Social Sharing	T: Typing Software
U: Utility Software	V: Video Software	W: Web Access	X: eXpress
Y: YouTube Software	Z: Zip Software

New Mac VideoPad Video Editing Software

VideoPad has been praised for being an easy-to-use video editor, and is one of the most popular programs NCH Software provides, but until now it has only been available for Windows. Today however our Mac customers can rejoice that VideoPad Video Editor is now ready to start making movies on OS X too.

VideoPad joins Prism Video Converter and Debut Video Capture to make a very useful video software toolbox for Mac users. Ensuring that platform support won't get in the way of anyone's ability to record, edit, or watch videos.

Keyframing and More VideoPad 3.00 Improvements

The release of VideoPad Video Editor v3.00 has some exciting changes that long-time users should be happy to see, including additional video tracks and sequences, and keyframing, while remaining as easy as ever, keeping the learning curve to the bare minimum.

Keyframing is one of the new features we really think you will enjoy. Keyframing allows greater control over an effect�s usage in a video, including the rate at which it is applied, intensity, and even the animation of an effect or overlay on the video. From the Video Effects dialog, you can show the animation controls button by clicking the keyframes icon to the right of the Applied Effects heading. Add keyframes to the effect�s timeline and position them higher or lower to change how the effect is shown in the final video. Use the preview to make sure your effects look just the way they should.

Keyframing gives advanced users a lot more control and flexibility in their editing, and many of VideoPad�s newest additions streamline the editing workflow to help anyone new to video editing work like a pro with their first project. To help get people started we have updated the VideoPad tutorial to introduce you to the interface and the video editing basics you need to make your movies look their best.

Create Videos From Photos

Take photos from your camera or hard drive and transform those photos into videos in no time. With PhotoStage photo movie maker you can quickly bring new life to your digital photos.

Use the quick create option to add all the photos in a folder into a slideshow to get you started. Simply drag and drop to rearrange photos. Add effects, captions, music and narration for that little something extra to truly turn your photos into something special.

Do More with Video - Blog Carnival January 7, 2013

Here are this edition's entries to Do More with Video:


Shamelle presents How To Use Video Scribing For Video Marketing posted at Promote Youtube Videos, saying, "Video scribing is a new method in the mix of organic message delivery. Also referred to as whiteboard animation, it lifts that drawing from its fixed place and time, and allows it to be uploaded, broadcasted and shared."

Color Correction, Brightness, Contrast, and Gamma posted at Easy Video Editing, saying, "Learn about how to manually adjustment videos to get the 'just right' look you want."

Jason Brubaker presents How To Get Into Filmmaking posted at Filmmaking Stuff, saying, Ttake stock of your resources and stop making excuses to push yourself forward into filmmaking."

Colin Mulvany presents What I learned shooting my first DSLR videos posted at Mastering Multimedia, saying, "Making the transition to DSLR video without any storytelling quality loss."

GoproView presents Gopro Hero 3 is Here posted at GoproView: How to be a Hero, saying, "The new version of the popular point of view video camera, Gopro, is now here."

Lance Carr presents DivX and H.264 Video File Formats Explained posted at The DIY Video Editor, saying, "Information about the most popular MPEG-4 based codecs for quality, speed and efficiency."

Amy Manzer and Mark Levy presents 9 Copyright Laws Every Video Producer Should Know posted at Videomaker, saying, "Technology has put the world at our fingertips. Creating and sharing videos has never been easier. If you're producing videos, it is crucial to be aware of copyright laws."

You might also be interested in:

• Making an instructional video
• Convert and Compress videos and more
• Make a seasonal video slideshow
• Solutions for Hi definition Home movies
• Evolution of a photo album to video
• Make your own animated gif videos
• Best video slideshow software
• Making a music Video sucsefully on the first try
• Top video Capture Software
• V is for Video Software

That concludes the first edition of Do More with Video. If you have a video story to share from home movies to video production submit your video blog posts for the next edition.

Y is for YouTube

NCH Software ABCs Series

YouTube has a wealth of videos, from information to humor you can find videos about just about everything, a whole world of endless amusement is just a click away. But watching videos isn't the only side. There are millions of aspiring YouTube stars out there who would do well to note some of the useful and easy YouTube software programs below that can help you download, record, edit and upload videos directly to YouTube. Who knows, yours could be the next big viral video.

• VideoPad - Edit Video for YouTube
• Debut - Record Video for YouTube
• Prism - Convert Video for YouTube
• WavePad - Record and Edit Audio or Voice-overs
• MixPad - Create and Mix Together A Video Soundtrack
• FlashLynx - YouTube Video Downloader
• Switch - Extract Audio from Video Clips

And, for video tutorials on many NCH products, stop by the NCH Software YouTube channel.

<<< Previous: X if for eXpress

Next: Z is for Zip >>>

V is for Video

NCH Software ABCs Series

Video is all around us. From the big blockbuster movies to YouTube, from video surveillance cameras in retail stores, to parents recording their kids first steps, and that is just the beginning, so it should come as no surprise we chose Video for 'V.' Plus like all of our software programs they our Video software is designed to be easy to use, so if want to record your screen or edit together a highlights reel of the tee-ball season, we have the video software you need to get the job done:

• VideoPad video editing software
  
• Prism video converting software
  
• Debut video capture software
  
• PhotoStage slideshow creator
  
• BroadCam streaming video server
  
• GoldenVideos VHS to DVD converter
  
• Eyeline video surveillance software
  
• FlashLynx YouTube video downloader
  

<<< Previous: U is for Utilities

Next: W is for Web Access >>>

Do More with Video - Blog Carnival November 5, 2012

To continue in the footsteps of the Do More with Audio blog carnival that we have been hosting for the last two years we have decided to add a Do More with Video blog carnival giving people the chance to share any video filming, recording, editing, production, projects, tips and more. To get things started I did some online to find some interesting posts to share in this first edition, and we hope you will submit your own video posts for the next edition.

So with our further ado here is the first edition of Do More with Video:

Teaching Video Storytelling. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what must a video be worth? Read about one professor's formula for video storytelling.

2012 CamcorderInfo Best of Year Awards. If you are looking for equipment here is what the professionals at camcorderinfo.com would recommend to family, friends and you.

Can I Edit Video from a DVD? An interesting post about the possible compression problems that can arise from extracting video from DVD and then compressing it again.

How to Create 3D Videos. A post about both converting 2D videos into 3D and filming with 3D in mind for better results.

10 Most Popular Types of Viral Videos. If you are hoping to make your own viral video it might help to know what the top are viral video categories.

Music and Video in Windows 8: a work in progress. Promising first steps, but latest offerings don't always play well with others.

What Filmmakers Need To Know About Video on Demand. Traditional theatrical and DVD film distribution models are being replaced by video on demand platforms which will forever alter the ways movies are seen and sold.

Optimizing Videos Embedded on Your Site for Search Engines. When you are putting a video online you want people to find it, and that is where SEO comes in to play to help make sure your video is found and viewed.

You might also be interested in:

• Video editing to the third dimension
• Bring a comic to life with video story telling
• A Movie Making Solution for the New Windows
• Video-sharing from software to site
• Record video from anywhere
• HD for the home
• Video editing is easier than you think
• Give a gift of video memories
• Don't just record video, use it!
• Video Software for your Webcam
• Flying high with first person video

That concludes the first edition of Do More with Video. If you have a video story to share from home movies to video production submit your video blog posts for the next edition.

Something to Talk About

Below is a word cloud generated from our posts here on the NCH Software: Do More with Software blog. There is no real surprise that we talk a great deal about "you" and "software," but is there anything you would like us to write about and cover more in the future?

S if for Sharing

NCH Software ABCs Series

When you record, edit and create a video it is usually not only to enjoy and relive the moments again yourself, but more often than not you want to share those videos with friends, family and a greater audience. We have shown you before how you can easily go from VideoPad to YouTube, a feature shared with PhotoStage slideshow maker and Debut video recording software. But did you know that YouTube isn't your only choice to easily share straight from your NCH video software?

Share your videos, slideshows and tutorials online with easy sharing options for uploading. Upload your videos to Facebook or Flickr in addition to YouTube to share life's moments or show your inner videographer.

• VideoPad video editor
  Share your edited clips, from baby's first steps to your first short film on YouTube, FaceBook or Flickr.
• PhotoStage slideshow creator
  Create and post slideshows made with photos from your wedding, or vacation to YouTube, FaceBook or Flickr.
• Debut screen capture and webcam software
  Make a video greeting with your webcam to post on YouTube, FaceBook or Flickr.
• Golden Videos VHS to DVD converter
  Don't stop at making a digital copy of your old home videos, upload to FaceBook to remind friends and family of those good times.

And for more ways to share don't forget you can broadcasting or stream audio and video which we talked about on L if for Live because you can share prerecorded content too.

<<< Previous: R is for Recording

Next: T is for Typing >>>

VideoPad Introduction in Manga

Not only is it fun for us to learn about see or listen to the audio and video projects that people create with NCH Software products, we also enjoy hearing and seeing what people think about and have to say about our software. When we stumbled upon a comic in a Japanese blog introducing readers to our VideoPad video editing software we contacted the creator and asked for permission to share a translated version with our readers. So take a look at the translated VideoPad comic below.

For those of you who are curious or know Japaenese you can view the original and read more of his thoughts on VideoPad in his blog, Try! Various things! (?????!????!). While you're there scroll to the bottom of the post to watch his test video showing some of the things that VideoPad is capable of.


If you are read to give VideoPad your own test drive, visit www.nchsoftware.com/videopad to download a copy for yourself.

Top Video Converter Software

The editors at CNET recently took the time to review our Prism Video Converter. As they mention, digital videos are great until you run into one that you can't use or watch, which is when video converting software comes to the rescue. And what more could you look for in a converter than "a straightforward, efficient tool for video conversion," as the editors at CNET described Prism in their 5 star review, going on to say:

"Prism Video File Converter has an attractive, intuitive interface that we had no trouble figuring out ... Converting a video -- or batch of videos -- is as simple as navigating to the desired files, adding them to the list of files to convert, and selecting the desired output format."
� CNET

You can read the complete review of Prism Video Converter on download.com, or simply download Prism now so you are armed and ready for any video files that might come your way, no matter what format they are in.

Super Features: Debut Video Capture

Debut Video Capture Software is one of the most feature-rich video capture programs available, allowing you to capture video from a variety of sources, including your screen, webcam, network camera, or external devices. If you haven�t had time to explore all the amazing ways Debut can make recording video easier for you, we�ve made a list of highlights.

• Add a text caption to your video. Choose the placement, enter the text, change the font, the font color, and add background color to make the text stand out. Be sure to add your caption before recording starts. (more ways to add text to video)
• Add a watermark to your video to ensure you get credit for the video. Choose a watermark image that isn�t too large, adjust the transparency, and set the alignment. The margin percentage controls how far away the watermark is from the edge. Again, be sure to add your watermark before recording.
• Create a time-lapse video. Station your camera and click the Edit Output button. On the tab specific for the type of camera you are using, make sure the Enable Time-lapse checkbox is checked. You can specify how often a frame is captured: the closer in time the images are taken to each other, the smoother your video will look. For a more choppy outcome, space images out further.
• Capture a window or custom area. This is a very useful feature if you want to focus on one area of your screen, rather than the entire thing. Click the selection icon in the lower right corner, next to the caption, color, and watermark buttons. You can then drag the cursor to select a recording area, or highlight and select a specific window on your screen.
• Schedule recordings. If you need to record while you're away from your computer, set up a scheduled recording. Click the Scheduler button on the toolbar to set a recording time.
• Click the Edit Output button to resize the final video or to change the frame rate. Remember that a smaller size and a lower frame rate will make the file size smaller.
• You can specify the file format for the recording from the Record as drop menu. Select the file type, or select which device you are making the recording for.

If you need to edit your recordings after they have been recorded, we recommend you use VideoPad Video Editing Software. With VideoPad, you can edit multiple screen captures or webcam recordings together, add background music and narration, and compile the final product in a format for viewing on your computer, television, portable device, or on the internet.

2 Easy Ways to Rotate Video

Need to rotate a video? Whether you recorded video on your phone in the wrong orientation or are you want to rotate a video solely for effect, NCH Software has two easy ways for you to rotate your video clips.

If rotating is the only thing you want to do to your video, or if you want to rotate a bunch of videos all at once, then Prism Video Converter is the way to go. Not only can Prism convert video formats, it can also be used to rotate videos. To rotate a video you have loaded into Prism, click the Effects button at the bottom of the window, and set the rotation from the Rotate tab. To Rotate multiple videos the same direction just select them all before opening the Effects effects to save the time of setting the rotation to each clip individually.

If you will be doing more video editing with your rotated video clip, then you might want to rotate your video directly in VideoPad Video Editor instead of using Prism. To rotate in VideoPad, select the video clip on the timeline then choose Rotate on the Effects tab, where you can once again use the arrows to rotate the video clip to the right or left, and notice that the preview will change to display the new orientation of your video clip. Tip: You may need to combine the rotate effect with the crop effect to maintain the aspect ratio of your video without the addition of black bands to the sides of your now rotated video clip.

Recording Screencast Tutorials with Debut

Guest post by Dalvin Aboagye

I'm sort of what you call a tech-oriented person and usually know my way around tech products. I maintain a YouTube channel dubbed Tech Time HD where I review and critique products sent by a myriad of companies, and cover tech rumors and news sometimes as well. I first started out on YouTube doing tutorials, so I needed a screen recording software solution to make these screen casting tutorials. I tried other software such as Cam Studio and Fraps but they didn't cut it for me. I stumbled upon Debut Video Recording Software whilst browsing Google. My first impression when I installed it was that it was a bit gimmicky and I wasn't impressed with the user interface, but after a couple weeks of using Debut I took back everything I said. The UI is very easy-to-use and intuitive, it doesn't gobble up on system resources as much as other programs I had tried, it supports a wide variety of video formats and has a great set of features�even the free version. I found myself hooked and would recommend it to anyone and everyone who needs to record a screencast, capture card or webcam. You won't regret downloading the trial, and you surely won't regret buying the software. My only wish is that the watermark feature was included in the free version, but it's a small price to pay for such great recording software.

What About My HD Home Videos?

I like to think of myself as a fairly multimedia-friendly parent. After all, my wife and I are pretty good about sharing our digital photos via email, Facebook, and an assortment of other avenues for getting pics out to family and friends, you know?

...But then, what about all those digital videos we've recorded? We have one of those great "Flip"-style cameras that takes HD video, and even phones that take high-def video, so we have some great videos to share!

Unfortunately, the options sharing for HD video aren't as simple as for pictures. Video files can be huge, especially in HD, precluding email for all but the shortest clips. Social media sites like Facebook or YouTube have length and size restrictions, and the time it takes to upload/download can be daunting, even on higher-speed internet connections.

So, what can I do with my HD videos? Internet, email, and social-media sites are limited, so I've started looking into physical media, and burning videos to disc. DVD is fairly ubiquitous nowadays, but because it's an older standard-definition format, I would end up losing quite a bit of the high-definition detail in my videos. I've also thought about sending data-discs with my video files, but that won't work for people who don't have computers, and I won't know if they even have the right software installed to play the files. What's the next option? Well, most of my family and friends who have high-def TVs have Blu-ray players, but is there something out there that will let me put my HD videos on a *playable* Blu-ray to share with friends and family?

...Fortunately, the answer is yes! Earlier this year NCH Software released a new version of their Express Burn disc-authoring/burning software, and it now supports Blu-ray video playable in any Blu-ray player. It works fine with my Blu-ray burner drive, and it's very simple to use; I just pick my HD videos (Blu-ray dics hold hours of them), re-order them as desired, and hit "Burn Blu-ray Video". Express Burn does the rest - it handles all the conversion to Blu-ray format, and burns it all to the disc. Re-encoding those HD videos can take a little time, but I can go make dinner while it's running, and the result is a Blu-ray that even my Dad can just pop in the Blu-ray player and watch.